Team Challenge is the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation's endurance training fundraising program. Through Team Challenge, you can run or walk 13.1 miles while helping to find a cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

To schedule a 1-on-1 meeting and sign up for a race with Team Challenge, contact Carissa at cbowling@ccfa.org or call 216-524-7700.

Save the Date!

CCFA's 24th annual golf outing will be held on August, 15, 2011 at the Chagrin Valley Country Club. Join us for a fun day of golf and help raise money for CCFA.

New CCFA Webinars

CCFA is excited to present a new series of live webinars for health care professionals. Topics include, "Current Controversies in IBD Treatment" on 4/12/11 at 6pm EST "The Latest Genetics, Risks, and Therapy Management in IBD" on 4/26/11 at 6pm EST. Learn more and register today at www.ccfaibdwebinars.org

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Our mission

To cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases.

Looking to connect with other IBD patients or family members?

We have two active support groups in Greater Cleveland. One meets in Bay Village on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. The other group meets in Concord on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. For more information, contact our Chapter or visit www.ccfa.org/chapters/neohio/

We hope to see you there!

Donor Spotlight

CCFA would like to thank Doris Bonsutto of Broadview Heights for her generous financial support. Every month Doris makes a contribution in honor of her grandson who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of eleven. Every month Doris sends in her donation with a note that says, "I am praying for a cure in his lifetime!" Thank you Doris, every donation brings us closer to a cure!

Volunteer Spotlight

We are lucky to have so many wonderful volunteers at CCFA! One of our most dedicated volunteers is Steffani Baker. Steffani, a Crohn's patient herself, regularly volunteers at the CCFA office. She also holds positions on our Take Steps and Parent Advocacy committees and has helped staff many CCFA events. Thank you Steffani for everything you do for CCFA!

Thank you to our Chapter Sponsor

Ask the Experts Program

We had nearly 90 participants at this year's Ask the Experts program in Independence. Many thanks to our attendees and speakers! Also, thanks to our program sponsors, including Abbott Pharmaceuticals, the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland Digestive Health Institute. Watch for upcoming programs in Akron and Youngstown later this year.

Team Challenge

Team Challenge is pleased to announce that we are headed to the Napa Wine Country Half Marathon on July 17th! Join Mike McCready, Pearl Jam lead guitarist, Crohn's patient, and Team Challenge participant to cross the finish line in Napa for a cure!

Team Challenge Vegas: Rock the Strip at Night! For the first time ever, Team Challenge Vegas will be run at night! When you join the Team for this half marathon, you'll see the Las Vegas Strip as it was meant to be seen, in all its glitz and glamour. As you run or walk past world-famous attractions on this flat, fast course, you'll be accompanied by cheer squads and rock bands to get you motivated and moving! Check out the web site:

Look Who's Going to Camp!

Camp Oasis, a week long overnight camp is exclusively for children with Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. Northeast Ohio youth will attend camp in Fenton, Michigan from July 10th to July 16th. Camp Oasis offers a life changing experience for kids with IBD. Campers return home with new confidence and interact more successfully with their peers, teachers and others in their community. As one former camper explains, "Camp Oasis means friends, fun, forgetting about everything that normally sets you apart from everyone else, learning more about your disease, feeling confident and knowing that everyone knows what you are going through." This year we have received a record number of interested families, forcing us to close registration to new campers and start a waiting list. Camp Oasis is truly an amazing experience and we are looking forward to another great year! ﻿

"30 in 60": A Baseball Road Trip to Raise Funds and Awareness

Twenty-two year old Jason Schwab, a sophomore at Baldwin Wallace College, is embarking on a nationwide tour of Major League Baseball stadiums to raise funds for the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Schwab calls his road trip "30 in 60," aiming to attend at least one Major League baseball game in every stadium, with the entire trip taking 60 days.

"When life gets you down to your very worst, and my worst was 78lbs and 5"4', it's still possible to rebound and accomplish anything you want to do. I want to spread awareness about IBD while raising funds to find a cure," That's the message that Jason, diagnosed at age 15, is trying to send through his road trip. When asked what motivated him, Schwab said, "I want to send a message to everyone with a chronic illness that you shouldn't let anything stop you from accomplishing your goals." Schwab's adventure begins and ends at Progressive Field in Cleveland, starting on May12th at the Indians vs. Tampa Bay game and ending on July 3rd at the Indian's vs. Cincinnati Reds game.

CCFA Volunteer Wins National Award

CCFA volunteer and long-time supporter, Joe Melenick (17), of Bay Village, was recently named one of Ohio's top youth volunteers for 2011 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. He will receive a $1,000 award and a trip to Washington DC in May. Joe has hosted an annual bowling party and other events that have raised nearly $50,000 for CCFA in the past five years. He speaks frequently about Crohn's at his church and various community organizations and helped start a support group for families dealing with IBD.

Congratulations and thank you to Joe and his family for their dedication to CCFA!